Parts of pathology practicals.....

1.Case discussion.......short cases like jaundice, diabetic foot

ulcer, hemolytic anamia, anamia .

2.Investigations for the above case.....

3.examiners will ask u to do certain investigations for the above

case.....Hb/TC/DC/ESR/Blood sugar/urine

routine/Sr.bilirubin/S.creat/s.chol/S. Ca/S.uric acid/B.urea/(should

know all manual methods, principles.....

Depending on institution automated machines might be made available.

Clinical intepretation is more important.

Other hematological tests asked could be.....osmotic fragility test,

G6PD, PT, PTT, Mixing studies for factor deficiencies(principle),

AEC/Platelet count/retic count/PCV/RBC count /Sickling test/D-

dimer/Ham's test/sucrose lysis test/LE cell preparation/leishman's

stain/pearl's stain/MPO/PAS/Alk phospatase/

4.Blood banking procedures...Grouping, cross-matching, direct and

indirect Coombs,

5.staining.....Routine stains(H&E), Pap, Geimsa (also know about

Gram's stain)

Special stains(PAS,PASD, PAS-Alacin blue/ Reticulin stain, Masson's

trichrome,Van-geison's, verhoeff, ZN stain, Groccots/

6.Histo techniques...routine processing,Cutting of blocks, problems

and their rectification/

Also know Frozen sections, IF staining principles, IHC

(immunohistochem) principles,

7. gross techniques.....Fixation/grossing/bits/

8. Special tests......Spotters....Should know INTEPRETATION of...IHC

slides, IF slides(renal, skin) /photographs, EM photographs,

platelet aggregometry graphs,southern blot hybridization,Karyotype,

Serum protein electrophoresis, Hemoglobin electrophoresis, routine

hematolgy automated 3/5 part differential printouts, flow cytometry

intepretation, AgNOR counts, ANCA, HLA typing and cross-matching

(all these do not carry too many marks)

9.Gross specimens: site/organ description and diagnosis and

differential diagnosis

10. Autopsy techniques......U may be asked to perform dissection of

organs or just intepretation of already grossed specimens or mounted

specimens. Depending on institution importance given to this

exercise varies.

11. other tests like semen anylysis, etc could be asked

12. Cytology slides....5-7 cases, time for each slide varies from 5-

7 minutes.
13. Hematology cases...number varies from 10-15, time varies from 5-

6 minutes per slide, each case may have more than one slide.

14. Histopathlogy slides...number varies from 25-30. time varies

from 4-6 minutes. you are expected to write description, diagnosis/

differential diagnosis. Also know what further IHC is required to

confirm, should be able to answer 1-2 questions on that diagnosis.

15. Be prepared to see all qualities of slides....good, bad and the

ugly (poor stain, funny colours, thick sections, faded stains, air

bubbles,folds, parasite in some corner of the slide, two different

sections on one slide, two diagnosis in one slide, some rare

disease, very common and undergratuate level slide.....Just think of

all that should not be there in an ideal slide I'm sure atleast one

examiner will have one such slide).

16.Last but the most important...CARRY YOUR OWN MICROSCOPE

( THERE

IS NO GAURENTEE THAT THEIR MICROSCOPES WILL BE

BINOCULAR, SELF

ILLUMINATING, GOOD OIL IMMERSION LENSES....ETC). STAY COOL

ALWAYS....IT COULD MAKE OR BREAK YOU. DOESN'T MATTER IF

ONE EXERCISE

GOES WRONG...QUICKLY SWITCH TO ANOTHER ONE.

17.CARRY HALL TICKET, CLEAN APRON, LOG BOOKS, THESIS,

OTHER
 NECESSARY STATIONARY,REACH ONE DAY EARLY, MEET HOD AND
INFORM THAT U

HAVE COME FOR THE EXAM(they might show u the venue of exam to
allay

fear of new place).If u already know the place what better blessing

can anyone expect.

18. No need to carry food and water, usually this is given in

plentiful anytime. U just need great stamina to keep answering

questions calmy from morning 8.00am to maybe night 9.00pm.

19.BIG NO's: dirty clothes, casuals, messy hair, strong perfumes,

overdone, frowing, arguing, talking during exam, discussing with

other candidates, trying to get clues from experts in the hall,

reaching late for the exam.

20. Believe in your self and good-luck! any queries feel free to e-

mail/post replies.